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2024 YEAR IN REVIEW: Ferry strikes hamper West Kootenay transportation

Construction of the new Kootenay Lake ferry is also underway but facing problems
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The Kootenay Lake Ferry under construction in Nelson in September, 2024.

Ferries are critical to transportation in the West Kootenay. Their importance was underscored in 2024 as ferry workers hit the picket lines.

Months of negotiations between the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU), WaterBridge Ferries and Western Pacific Marine on new collective agreements hit an impasse in the fall.

BCGEU represents 90 employees with WaterBridge, which manages the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry (Shelter Bay to Galena Bay), the Needles Ferry (Fauquier to Needles), the Arrow Park Ferry (junction of Upper and Lower Arrow Lake) and the Adams Lake Ferry (Chase to Sorrento).

Western Pacific Marine meanwhile employs 80 unionized workers on the Kootenay Lake ferries that run between Balfour and Kootenay Bay, as well as the cable ferries at Harrop and Glade.

WaterBridge and BCGEU avoided a strike with an agreement in October. The same couldn't be said for talks with Western Pacific Marine.

The first warning shot was fired in September when Kootenay Lake ferry employees gave the union a strike mandate. The second salvo by the union was a 50 per cent reduction in service on Kootenay Lake in October.

Then on Nov. 3, the BCGEU made good on its strike threat. The Kootenay Lake ferries were reduced to just three weekday sailings for essential travel only, although emergency services continued to have access.

The strike immediately had a negative impact on communities including Crawford Bay and Riondel, where residents rely on the ferry for transportation to employment, education and health care. 

Megan Rokaby-Thomas, who owns Ladybug Coffee on the East Shore by the ferry terminal, said her business was down 75 per cent compared to previous Novembers.

"I think everybody actually, really does want the same thing," said Rokaby-Thomas. "We want a strong, stable ferry service that has great jobs for its team. Everybody is on that page. The problem is everyone has a different way they think we should get there."

Western Pacific Marine made a successful appeal to the Labour Relations Board, which expanded Kootenay Lake service back to weekends and allowed ferries to fill up after exempt travellers were on board.

But as of the Nelson Star's Dec. 30 publication deadline, the strike continues to drag on. The union successfully applied to extend its job action to the Harrop and Glade ferries, which begin Jan. 2.

Construction of the new Kootenay Lake Ferry being built on the shore near Nelson is also facing issues.

The electric-ready, 55-car vessel is meant to replace the MV Balfour, which has been in service since 1954. But in September, the transportation ministry confirmed the project, which was supposed to be finished in 2023, then delayed again to 2025, now won't be completed until 2026 with sailings delayed to 2027.

The ferry's budget has also ballooned from $63 million to $117 million, which the ministry attributed to "the unique nature of the project including the location of the build site in Nelson, the complexity of assembling a large vessel in a temporary shipyard, and the shortage of qualified trades people."



Tyler Harper

About the Author: Tyler Harper

I’m editor-reporter at the Nelson Star, where I’ve worked since 2015.
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